Change management practices and performance of private security firms in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Diverse change management practices adopted by organizations enhance the quality and impact of service delivery. Institutions keep on restructuring their strategies in order to mitigate to environmental change. Organizations would prefer to keep their strategy and structure as they are due to resistance that may arise due to change. The generaloobjective of the studyowas to determine the influenceoof change managementopractices on performanceoof private security firmsoin Nairobi, Kenya. This studyowas anchored on resource basedotheory and Lewin’sochange management model. The study used descriptive cross-sectional survey. This population consisted all the 50 security firms registered under Kenya Security Industry Association in Nairobi County. Primary data was used in which questionnaire was adopted. This study was based on primary data that was collected through the questionnaire method. The study used multiple regression method. It was found out that communication influence employee readiness to change, organization culture and change management at moderate extent, while leadership influence change management at great extent. The findings established the existence of a strong positive correlation between change management and firm performance. The study concludes that internal communication in the organization affects change management. Good communication positively influences change management practices in the organization as employees are prepared for the changes. The study concludes that organization culture influences the likelihood of success for change management in security firms in Kenya. While institution's culture was found to be a powerfulodriving forceoinoimplementation of change management; the culture was not well consistent with the change management strategies. The studyorecommends that the leadership of security firms should be committed to change management process. The top leadership should allocate and provide more resources, both financial and human resources, to support change management. The success of change management at security firms is solely contingent on organization competency, change agents and commitments by all stakeholders. Because of the importance of the leadership of the organization to the adaptive process, it is vital to continuously support and enhance those traits required to promote change orientation and growth.